A group of young people have presented 10 recommendations for tackling climate change to the Dáil.
They want a tax on companies that are the biggest emitters and supermarket labels showing the climate impact of products.
The 157 members of the Youth Assembly are also calling for a compulsory 'sustainability' subject at the Junior Cycle.
They issued their recommendations following their session in the Dáil today, overseen by the Ceann Comhairle.
In a statement, the assembly said: “We, the youth of Ireland, call on our elected representatives and on adults to listen. We put forward our recommendations for action to stop climate breakdown. We are NOT experts.
"In our recommendations we offer ideas but we do NOT have answers. It is a starting point for adults and particularly for those elected to protect and progress our society. We call on you to listen to the science, to take on board our Recommendations and to work on our behalf to ensure that we - and you - have a future.”
🌳🌎 157 young people have taken over the Dail today as part of the first ever #YouthAssembly on climate change to come up with recommendations tor tackling the crisis 🌎🍂 pic.twitter.com/j8Z7kiaoL3
— Stephen Murphy (@StephenMNews) November 15, 2019
Here's the full list of their recommendations:
- From your corner store to your supermarket, we call on the House to incentivise and obligate the installation of glass doors on open refrigerators.
- For Ireland to ban the importation of fracked gas and invest solely in renewables.
- Implementing measures that will allow that Irish goods be both eco-sustainable and affordable in todays’ Irish Market.
- Implement a tiered tax on emissions from large companies including those under capital Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). This tax must be increased every year while threshold decreases, shifting the burden from individuals to corporations.
- Investment in industrial hemp facilities to provide a viable, sustainable and alternative land use for farmers as well as employment in rural Ireland.
- A labeling and pricing system showing the climate impact of food products based on criteria such as impact of packaging and distance traveled.
- Ireland to outlaw acts of ecocide – the widespread and systematic loss of ecosystems, including climate and cultural damage.
- Protect existing forests and make compulsory that at least 10% of all land owned for agricultural uses is dedicated to forestry.
- A targeted nationwide information campaign to educate the population about the climate crisis regarding the causes, the effects and the solutions.
- Mandatory “sustainability” education from primary level to the workplace including a new compulsory Junior Cycle and optional Leaving Certificate subject.
